Daijiworld Media Network - Shenzhen
Shenzhen, Sep 19: Indian badminton star P V Sindhu suffered yet another defeat at the hands of world number one An Se Young, crashing out in the quarterfinals of the China Masters Super 750 tournament on Friday.
The two-time Olympic medallist went down 14-21, 13-21 in just 38 minutes, extending her losing streak against the 23-year-old Korean to eight consecutive matches. Sindhu is yet to register a win against An in her career.
Sindhu struggled from the start, trailing 1-6 before reducing the gap to 5-9 with a clever cross-court drop. However, An’s powerful smashes helped her build an 11-5 lead at the interval. The Indian briefly closed in at 11-14, but errors in crucial moments, including a netted shot, handed the first game to the Korean.
In the second game, Sindhu initially led 3-2, but An quickly regained control, going 11-7 up at the mid-game break. Despite Sindhu’s attacking plays and precise front-court drops, An maintained her dominance, eventually sealing the match 21-13.
Sindhu’s fightback showed glimpses of her skill, but An Se Young’s superior deception, variety, and consistency kept the Indian shuttler at bay throughout.
With this loss, Sindhu’s China Masters campaign ends, while An advances to the semifinals, keeping her formidable winning run intact.